'arthritis-aggravating' is a compound of the noun 'arthritis' and the present-participle/adjective 'aggravating'. 'Arthritis' originates from Greek, specifically from 'arthron' (ἄρθρον) meaning 'joint' combined with the suffix '-itis' indicating 'inflammation'. 'Aggravating' comes from the verb 'aggravate', which originates from Latin 'aggravāre' (from ad- 'to' + gravāre 'make heavy'), where 'gravis' meant 'heavy'.

'arthritis' entered New Latin and medical terminology from Greek elements and became English 'arthritis' in modern medical usage. 'Aggravate' evolved from Latin 'aggravāre' into Late Latin/Old French forms and into Middle/Modern English as 'aggravate', whose present participle gives 'aggravating'. The compound form 'arthritis-aggravating' is a modern English descriptive compound formed by joining the noun and present participle.

Initially, the Latin root related to making something 'heavy' or more severe; over time 'aggravate' came to mean 'make worse' or 'exacerbate'. Combined with 'arthritis', the compound's meaning became specifically 'making arthritis worse', which reflects the modern medical usage.